Arpaio's 'Operation 1070' coincides with law taking effect

Posted: 07/28/2010
Last Updated: 14 minutes ago
By Laura Palmisano, ABC15.com

PHOENIX - Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his patrol deputies will conduct their 17th crime suppression sweep in the Valley on the same day SB1070 goes into effect.

According to an MCSO press release, Arpaio plans to continue enforcing all state and federal immigration laws despite the controversy surrounding the state’s new immigration law.

Arpaio and up to 200 deputies and posse volunteers will participate in the operation, the release stated.

"It's business as usual for this Sheriff's Office," Arpaio said. "All these protestors coming here from everywhere and the local critics aren't going to change the way Arizona or this Sheriff will fight our illegal immigration problem."

The Sheriff’s office reports that demonstrators will protest outside the federal courthouse, Maricopa County jails, Arpaio’s downtown headquarters and the Tent City Jail, where a new section of canvas incarceration compounds were created to house those arrested by local law enforcement for SB1070 violations.

According to the release, the Thursday crime suppression sweep has been dubbed “Operation 1070â€